If you're tired of doomsday Dallas Cowboys articles, boy do I have bad news for you. The Cowboys head coaching search is reaching its natural conclusion and the end result does not look promising for Dallas.
The Cowboys got a late start on the hiring process after letting Mike McCarthy walk just one day prior to the end of his contract. In performing such a maneuver, Dallas entered the coaching carousel a week behind other NFL teams in need of a new leader. The lack of qualified candidates interested in the Cowboys opening reflects that fact.
Former Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore is interested in the job, but is currently coaching his current team, the rival Philadelphia Eagles, in the NFL Playoffs. Moore has work to do. Ironically enough, it is Moore's replacement in Dallas, Brian Schottenheimer, who received a second interview of his own on Wednesday.
Schottenheimer is the son of the late Marty Schottenheimer, and has an extensive background of his own in the coaching ranks. Neither Schottenheimer nor Moore has ever been a head coach before at the NFL level, though. Moore looks like the more polished candidate from the outside looking in – his offenses both in Dallas and now Philadelphia are impressive, as Saquon Barkley nearly broke the rushing record and Jalen Hurts has made strides in 2024-25 – but Jerry isn't patient.
Cowboys are courting Brian Schottenheimer, which is a terrible idea
Perhaps the biggest concern for the Cowboys is that Jones is considering primarily candidates who he is familiar with, rather than casting a stone outside of his circle. Moore and Schottenheimer know how to deal with Jerry and the magnifying glass that comes with the Cowboys job. While it's something Jones and the Cowboys brass should consider when hiring a new head coach, it is not the only qualification or the most important.
The Landry Hat outlined why Schottenheimer has been considered thus far, though their headline suggests he'd be the 'worst head coach imaginable' which doesn't seem too far off.
"It is no surprise that Schottenheimer interviewed well. The 51-year-old has terrific people and motivation skills. Those traits lead us to believe he'd actually make a better head coach than offensive coordinator, though that is hardly a compliment given his track record as an OC," Jerry Trotta wrote.
In the end, the question for Jones is simple: Does he want a serious head coach who can lead the Cowboys to postseason succees, or would he prefer a yes man who will do his bidding? The answer, unfortunately for Dallas fans, appears to be the latter.